West Ham have had a largely good few weeks, but it’s fair to say that one topic has engulfed the club in 2019. Marko Arnautovic had a brilliant first half of the season, but since a bid from China was rejected by the club, it’s all been downhill for the forward.
He’s found himself out of the team, and when he has played, he hasn’t looked particularly good.
Durham said: “Ever since he said he wanted to go to China, the fans were done with him. When he said he wanted to go China to win things nobody really believed that, come on!”
Elaborating, he noted: “What was even worse was when he stayed and signed a new contract, West Ham released a video on Twitter of him saying this and that. I thought blah, blah, again nobody believed a word of it. That was just a lame, PR exercise. West Ham fans aren’t gullible.”
He continued: “His stock is low with supporters now and I’m not surprised whatsoever.”
Certainly, his lack of desire to be at West Ham in January was rather telling, and it’s hard to disagree with the sentiment that he was a real enemy of the people at that stage.
Furthermore, it really hasn’t helped his case that his form since January has been below par. You’d think that if a player really wanted to prove himself after such a difficult period, he’d be going above and beyond to make a difference. There’s been no sign of the forward wanting to do that.
And, truthfully, at this stage if another Chinese offer came in, would we accept it? I think there’s no doubt that a vast majority of Hammers probably would.
Being interested in a move away isn’t a bad thing, and that won’t make you an enemy. But Arnie had a lot of work to do to win our faith back, and he just hasn’t done that.
And now? He’s paying the price with bad form. Durham’s words are strong, but they’re undeniably correct.
Thoughts?
